title: Primary blast injury-induced lesions in the retina of adult rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of primary blast exposure on the brain is widely reported but its effects on the eye remains unclear. Here, we aim to examine the effects of primary blast exposure on the retina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to primary blast high and low injury and sacrificed at 24 h, 72 h, and 2 weeks post injury. The retina was subjected to western analysis for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), aquaporin-4 (AQP4), glutamine synthethase (GS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS), endothelial NOS, neuronal NOS and nestin expression; ELISA analysis for cytokines and chemokines; and immunofluorescence for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)/VEGF, GFAP/AQP4, GFAP/nestin, GS/AQP4, lectin/iNOS, and TUNEL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The retina showed a blast severity-dependent increase in VEGF, iNOS, eNOS, nNOS, and nestin expression with corresponding increases in inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. There was also increased AQP4 expression and retinal thickness after primary blast exposure that was severity-dependent. Finally, a significant increase in TUNEL+ and Caspase-3+ cells was observed. These changes were observed at 24 h post-injury and sustained up to 2 weeks post injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary blast resulted in severity-dependent pathological changes in the retina, manifested by the increased expression of a variety of proteins involved in inflammation, edema, and apoptosis. These changes were observed immediately after blast exposure and sustained up to 2 weeks suggesting acute and chronic injury mechanisms. These changes were most obvious in the astrocytes and Müller cells and suggest important roles for these cells in retina pathophysiology after blast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, 1168 West Chunrong Road, Kunming, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Enci Mary
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Kian Chye
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Mui Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Linli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Eng-Ang
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D053834:Explosive Agents; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D064231:Nestin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014303:Trinitrotoluene
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D053834:Explosive Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D009573:Nitrites; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II